I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately it was a miss for me. It took to long to get going, then the mention of drug dealing felt a bit off for a middle grade book. I really enjoyed the fact that it's set in Australia, but it wasn't enough to reel me in.

The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker is a fun, easy, middle-grade read.

One day, Alex and his little brother Ollie, realise that their dad has gone missing. All that’s left is a mysterious note.

I found this book super easy to read and was a nice little pick-me-up after a heavier read. Ollie is *********different (*********I’m not entirely sure if it said how) and it’s written in a way that doesn’t make him feel too childish or annoying, it just is. And I loved how clever Ollie is.

The mystery was intriguing and definitely kept me entertained. I was trying to read the next chapter at work just to see what happened.

I feel like that whilst the plot and pacing is middle grade some of the book felt a bit older. Alex’s voice felt like something I’d read in a (albeit younger) YA book. Same with the intensity of the bad guys and some of the themes.

What does a mystery have to do with tea? Well, you’ll find out in the story of the Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker ☕️

This is a fast-paced crime solving novel for middle graders. I read this in just a few hours because it was written in a very easy way ☺️ I loved how a character with certain disabilities (like dyslexia) was written in the story and how his talents were shown. Loved the fact that it wasn’t just about the things he could not do, but mostly about his other way of thinking. I also really liked the cunning character of Mr. P. Besides that all I loved that in the beginning you kind of feel like Alex and Ollie’s dad is a bit of a loser, but in the end it all seems to be completely different. I liked that there was a flash-forward to the future of the characters ☺️

I think this is a great read for middle graders. I gave the book 3 stars, because I thought it was a little short and I would have loved to read more about certain characters. Also, I still have some questions left unanswered, so that’s why 😌 update: ooooh, I just heard there will be a next book which might just answer these questions 😍

I read this book as an ARC, but it has been published in April so you can get your copy of it now! 😁

Loved this story so much OMG ! This was maybe too short forme and I really would like to read more of this but it's ok.

Very quick and easy read! The book is written in First Person POV which makes the book fly by. I did love the representation in this book as one of the brothers left alone is described in a way leading the reader to believe he is on the spectrum of autism. Additionally, the older brother does talk At the start of this book, I was thinking it would be very similar to Home Alone but with a fun mystery element. The mystery was very fun! However, this book does contain some heavier topics. These brothers were abandoned by their mother, the villains are growing a cannabis farm - drugs are talked about pretty frequently, the word b*tch is used a couple of times, one of the villains makes a semi sexual advance to one of the children, kidnapping and assault on a child. I think I would have enjoyed this book more had the villains not been so intense on the children. I was hoping it would be more of a mystery where the children thwart the clownlike villains. The sexual advance on the older brother and then assault was very uncomfortable in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book!.

Quite a cute middle grade novel featuring Alex and Ollie, two brother who set out on a quest to find their missing father. This is an enjoyable romp that will keep readers above age ten hooked to the twists and turns that the two brothers face during their quest.

This is an Australian middle grade novel about two siblings, Alex and Ollie, who have been living with their father for the first time in years when he one day disappears. Reluctant to alert the authorities, the kids decide to solve the mystery themselves - starting with a written note about a teapot! The younger brother, Ollie, is neurodivergent (no diagnosis mentioned) and turns out to be the perfect partner in solving clues and seeing patterns as they go along.

This is a real adventure story with high stakes but a somewhat whimsical atmosphere. The characters are wonderfully written and the plot gets more suspenseful the more Alex and Ollie find out. Trigger warnings for some moderate violence against women and children, being locked in, as well as parental abandonment and being trapped in a fire.

I had some minor issues with the pacing and some thin areas - including wondering why the father would put his children at risk by seemingly leading them into a dangerous situation - but I could overlook those things because of how endearing the two main characters were.

I got really invested in this book even as an adult reader, and can imagine that children would love this mystery adventure with funny, resourceful kids as main characters, as well as an amazing old neighbor who supports their independency while they're searching for their father, and some scary bad guys. There's a happy ending but also a hint about a possible continuation since not all the family mysteries have been solved at the end - and I hope that's the case because I would love to read more of this!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for sharing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cute read! If you're looking to bring yourself out of a reading slump or have a middle-grade reader who likes a bit of mystery and adventurous characters then this is the one to try. The characters were humorous, but also relatable and I found myself smiling several times throughout the story. Alex reminded me a little of my younger self dealing with my younger brother who was such a handful at times.

I think many people, of all ages, can find something to relate to in this one. The only thing I would recommend before you let your kiddo read this one would be the trigger warnings! I was a little macabe weirdo so I would've been just fine reading this, but some kids may not be able to handle them. Here's a list just in case you want to check it before reading or letting your family read:

TW:
Drug use
Child abandonment
Child abuse
Kidnapping

I'd say if you think you could handle Harry Potter and/or A Series of Unfortunate Events they'll be just fine!

I liked this book. The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker is about a boy named Alex with a younger brother named Ollie who has a disability. When their father goes missing, the brothers have to follow clues their dad left for them top find him. The family didn't have much money, and the boys think their dad was kidnapped. The two are both really smart, and I won't spoil this book for you but it does have a satisfactory ending. There is a swear word in it and some language, so I'd recommend it for more older kids.

I loved the mystery in this. The writing is very engaging. The plot twist was very interesting. I would recommend this for fans of a Good Girl's Guide To Murder. Overall I highly enjoyed it

#TheMysteryOfTtheMissingTeaDrinker#
A delightful middle-grade novel suitable for all ages. Two brothers, Ollie and Alex have a great relationship, Ollie is a bit challenged and Alex, though young himself, is a boy protective of his brother. The boy's father disappears a second time and Ollie is more perceptive to finding clues regarding tea and teapots. There are laugh-out-loud moments as the boys pursue the mystery. All in all, a great debut novel.
I received a copy of this book from #NetGalley# in exchange for an honest review.

We really enjoyed this story of two clever boys trying to solve the mystery of where their father has disappeared to. They get into trouble over and over again ( as children would) but the ending comes together well. Will we find out what happened to their mother in another book ?

It was the bright cover design, and the title, that appealed to me with this book.

This was a charming book. It was entertaining, a lot of fun to read, and the characters were likeable. I did find myself smiling and chuckling while I was reading this, and I think it's also a book that my younger self would have appreciated too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

'The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker' is a beautifully written middle-grade novel that all ages can enjoy.

Brothers, Ollie and Alex, have only just got their father back home when he disappears again. Alex is sure something’s up, and soon he and Ollie are following clues they hope will lead to their dad.

There are several things that I loved about this book:

The relationship between the kids. Ollie is a bit different (Autism Spectrum Disorder is hinted at), and Alex is the one person remaining who understands his needs. Alex deftly takes on the caring role, though it’s not without frustrations, given he's still young himself.

Ollie’s strengths play out during the story as he helps find and understand clues based on tea and teapots.

There are some great villains, from Spider (and a couple of other nasties given descriptive names such as ‘Cold Voice’) to Camilla, the local real estate agent. They are characterised well.

My favourite supporting character was Mr Peebles. A mix of grumpy and solitary, yet caring and there for the kids when they need him. He’s a smart cookie, too. At one point, Alex tells the reader, ‘I have a fit of giggles. Mr P plays the part of dopey old man brilliantly.’ It wasn’t the only point at which I, too, had a giggle.

The book describes our landscape, homes and people in Queensland, Australia, very well. It even includes expressions such as “not enough space for a possum to hide” without causing too much confusion for foreign readers.

Though a middle-grade story, there are some darker themes: the illegal cannabis industry and violence against women and children, most notably. Treated gently and with guidance, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Overall I loved this debut novel from Davidson. I was impressed with her style - never using more words than required - and telling a story that this adult found hard to put down.

This was a fun, fast read.

Told to never disturb his dad while he's working, Alex doesn't think too much of the fact that he hasn't seen his father for most of the day. He keeps his brother Ollie occupied until 4, when his father finishes work, before going to look for him. To find that he's gone. Left behind is an odd, two word note, along with his keys and wallet.

They decide to look for him, following a strange trail of tea bags down a small farm road. When someone tries to run them off the road, Alex starts to worry his dad might be in real trouble. It doesn't seem like there's much he can do though, when they're running out of food and Ollie's likely to go into one of his moods and shut down.

Surprisingly, the brothers come together with strengths neither knew the other had, and the help of an elderly neighbor.

There were a few slang terms that didn't make sense to me, being from a different country. However, that did little to distract from the story, which was highly enjoyable and a great mystery for young readers!

This is not the type of book I typically read, but the title looked interesting. The story is about two boys who live with their father, having been left by their mother years ago. When their father goes missing, they need to follow the clues to find him. The story deals with illegal marijuana growing, and has scenes with child abuse, mild neglect, and some swearing. This would not be an appropriate read for younger children. The book was a fast read, and I liked the authors writing style. That being said , the characters were never fully developed and the ending felt rushed. I did like the authors inclusion of a differently-abled child in the story, and the relationship between the two brothers, and their elderly neighbor, was heartwarming, It was entertaining, but not really my cup of tea! Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

Superb YA mystery! I highly enjoyed this mystery. I would highly recommend it to YA readers! Granted, readers of any age would truly enjoy it, but it seems great for YA.

I enjoyed this read! It was an interesting topic and dealt with hard things in a way that I felt were attainable for teens to read.

"The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker" by Bryl Davidson is a middle-grade thriller that follows the adventures of Alex and his brother Ollie as they search for their missing father. The book presents a classic Nancy Drew-style mystery that is sure to keep younger readers engaged.

The story moves at a fast pace and is an easy read, making it perfect for middle-grade readers. However, the use of misspelled words in the text may be distracting for some readers, and the language used throughout the book doesn't quite match with the speech patterns of today's middle-graders.

The representation of diverse characters in the book is commendable and adds depth to the story. However, the plot has some holes that could have been filled in to make the story more engaging. For instance, the relationship between the father and the villain of the story is not fully explored, and the reason why the children are left at their grandma's is not clear.

Additionally, the appearance and disappearance of some characters with no explanation and some formatting and editing issues detract from the overall reading experience. The second half of the book may also feel a bit slow for some readers.

While "The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker" may be too much for some middle-grade readers due to its subject matter, the book is a good addition to the genre and will keep young readers entertained.

Despite its ‘cozy-feel’ title, this is anything but. It falls in that weird space between upper middle grade and lower YA. Most of the way through I thought it would fit upper middle grade but there is a bit of violence towards the end that I think pushes it into lower YA.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I devoured it in a couple of days. It has clues and codes which is always a big draw card for me.

It is told from Alex’s pov. He’s a great character who is fiercely protective of his younger brother, Ollie, who you’ll fall in love with too. Ollie, who watches Finding Nemo on repeat, is dyslexic but solves the anagram clue left by the boys’ father, who was kidnapped by a group of criminals growing cannabis on the outskirts of town.

With a secondary story of real estate fraud woven through, this book will have you wanting to read faster to find out the answers.

I also love that it’s set in Queensland, Australia and wish more books were.

Highly recommend for ages 13+.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.